Where's the Tooth Fairy?

So here's the story....

Last week, when I went to the dentist, they called the oral surgeon and scheduled the appointment for me. I was standing right there. I heard her schedule it. And confirm it. And she wrote it down on the surgeon's card and handed it to me. She even asked them how much it was going to cost while I was standing there.

So the appointment was for 10:15 this morning. It was about a 30 mile drive, so The Dude and I left here around 9:30 just to be safe. We got there, I panicked a bit, and he got me in the door. I gave the lady my name, and she looked confused. Then she asked for my birthdate. And then for which doctor I was seeing. And then I handed her the appointment card.

I wasn't on the schedule. They didn't have me on their schedule. How does that happen???

She handed me the paperwork anyway, and we sat down and filled it all out and I handed it back to her, but she still said nothing about whether or not they were actually going to see me today. After a short wait, I was called back to the exam room. I grabbed The Dude and made him go with me, because there was no way that I was going alone.

We got back there and she proceeded to tell me that they were going to squeeze me in - unless I wanted to be sedated. If I wanted to be sedated, then they'd have to reschedule me because they just didn't have time. I knew at that moment that I was going to go through complete and utter hell, but I told her to just do it because if I walked out of that office today, I wasn't coming back.

So the dentist/surgeon walked in, introduced himself, and *bam* got to work - after he figured out that he was about to pull the wrong tooth. Yeah, there was a typo somewhere and he asked if he was pulling one on the left and I about freaked and showed him which one it was. Things were not starting off well at all. The initial shots to numb it weren't bad, until he got to the one on the roof of my mouth, where I pretty much lost it and started crying. Cripes, I hate when I do that. But he left to give it time to work, and The Dude stood there and held my hand and talked to me until I calmed down, and then it was time.

The procedure itself was brutal. Absolutely brutal. I'm not going to lie and I'm not going to sugarcoat it. He worked extremely quickly - almost too quick for my taste - and I white-knuckled my way through it. He warned me at one point that I was going to hear cracking....yeah, I'm sorry, that wasn't "cracking" - that was the most horrible sound that I've ever heard in my life, and it was coming from MY mouth. The pressure was incredible, the pain was intense (he did ask at one point if it hurt, but didn't even pause to hear my answer), and the sounds were unbelievable.

I'm not sure how long it took. Maybe 30 minutes? By that time I couldn't even think straight. I know he had to put a few stitches in on the side of my gum, but those are supposed to dissolve so I don't have to go back. He gave all of the instructions and the prescription (yes, I accepted a prescription for pain pills this time) to The Dude, and then looked at me and said something to the effect of "maybe you should consider being put under next time". I really wanted to snap back and say "maybe you should have put me on the schedule this time so that could have happened" but I couldn't form the words.

So I paid and we left. And I cried. It hurt so much and I was so upset by the whole scheduling debacle and this did absolutely nothing to help with the fear of dental work.

The Dude drove me home and then went and got my prescription filled and picked up some lunch for us - mashed potatoes for me! And I took a pain pill and we started to watch a movie...but when the couch started spinning I decided that it was time to lay down for a while. I napped while he watched the movie and then went and got the boys from school. He had to go into work for a few hours, so I'm going to make something for the boys to eat and get them into bed and then become one with the loveseat until he comes back from work. I'm still in an  unreal amount of pain, so I plan on drugging myself up really good tonight after he gets back since he can stay with me tonight - maybe if I drug up enough tonight, I can get ahead of the pain.

On the plus side, I'm not *too* swollen (right side) so he
must have done something right.

Another trip to the dentist

Alex and Daniel had dentist appointments this morning.

Getting the kids to the dentist is always a challenge for me. Not that it's hard to get them there, since it's only about 7 or 8 blocks from my house - I mean really, I got out of the shower at 8:15 and still had them there by 8:30 - but because I *hate* the dentist. Not this particular dentist - he's great. I just hate dentists. Period.

I swear, if I could get a prescription for valium before I had to take the kids in there, it would be much better - for everyone involved. I haven't been to the dentist personally in about 10 years - and I'm ok with that, even with my molar that's been broken for that long. I know I should go, but I just can't do it. Little pieces of that tooth keep breaking off, but I'm ok with it. I'd rather have a huge hole in my mouth and deal with excruciating pain than take myself to the dentist and have it fixed.

I know, I know - I need to get over it. I need to go. I know I need to go. I just haven't worked up the nerve to do it yet. I actually talked to the receptionist a couple of years ago, and it would take a minimum of 6 months to schedule an appointment to get me in - and of course I'd have to have the cash in hand to go since I don't have insurance - so yeah, I'll schedule the appointment as soon as I win the lottery and get a prescription for really good happy drugs.

But, I take the kids every time that they have an appointment. And I have to sit on the floor of the exam room while the dentist is doing his thing. The kids love to go there, and they do great. I, on the other hand, would be curled up in the fetal position on the floor if there was enough room to do it. Instead, today I distracted myself by messaging back and forth with The Dude the whole time that we were there. I'm sure that it irritated the dentist, but I think that it was better than me sitting there, hyperventilating and drooling on myself.

The boys did great. Two perfect checkups.

So now we're good to go...for about another 3 weeks, when I have to take the older 3 kids in - all of them, at the same time. So that I can sit on the floor and freak out through 3 appointments.

Please pass the drugs.